Balanced load wheelbarrow



March 11, 1952 Filed March 25. 1949 'J. DWYER 2,588,503

BALANCED LOAD WHEELBARROW 2 SHEETS-SHEET l Inventor By M w Attorney J. DWYER BALANCED LOAD WHEELBARROW March 11, 1952 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed March 25, 1949 A Home} Patented Mar. 11, 1952 UN I TED STATES PATENT QaF 2,588,503 Y BALANCED LOAD WHEELBARROW James Dwyer, Colorado Springs, 0010;

Application. March 25, 19.49, SerialN'o. 83,500 (or. 2s0 52 1 Claim.

The presentinventionappertains to improvements in wheeled conveyors and more particularly to a balancedv load wheelbarrow.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a wheelbarrow constructiorrwherein the wheel is situated under the load pan and at a position most contributory to balancing the load while being manually wheeled.

Another object of the invention is to provide a wheelbarrow wherein the load imposed upon the usual wheelbarrow pan is substantially balanced upon the carrier wheel when the wheelbarrow is being moved, and wherein spring carrier means for the wheel are provided to absorb shock when pushing the wheelbarrow over uneven ground.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a wheelbarrow of the character stated which will have the above and other advantages and which can be manufactured for substantially the same cost as the present day high quality wheelbarrows.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the wheelbarrow at rest.

Figure 2 is a side elevati-onal view of the wheelbarrow in dumping position.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of the leg and spring structures.

Figure 4 is a bottom plan view of the wheelbarrow.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the wheel and spring carrier means.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of the dumping roll.

Referring to the drawings wherein' like numerals designate like parts, it can be seen that numerals 5 denote a pair of elongated tubes which converge forwardly as shown in Figure 4 and which have straight portions 6, upon which a load carrying pan 1 is secured, the forward ends of the tubes 5 slanting downwardly under (see Figure 4), fromthe ends of the-straight portion la the tube dependsas at IT; to groundthe forward deep end portion of the pan 1, as

at 8 and having their terminal portions flattened as at 9 and apertured to receive axial structures In projecting from the ends of a dumping roll I I, the function of which will be described later.

Rearwardly of the straight portions 6, the tubes 5 slant upwardly as at [2 and then rearwardly as at l3, these portions [3 carrying hand grips IA of rubber or other suitable material.

A leg structure generally referred to by numeral l5 consists of a third tubular member to form first, a transverse straight portion I6 ends slant upwardlyand forwardly -as "'at l9 and then horizontally as at 20', the horizontal portions 20 being 'secured'by" bolts 2| to'the straight portions 6 of the elongated tubes '5, just rearwardly of the sloping portions-8. As can be seen in Figure 4, the end portions of the straight part l6 of the leg formed tube are secured by bolts and nuts 22 to the rear end portions of the straight portions 6 of the tubes 5.

A pair of metallic strap members 23, 24 are secured to the portions l9 of the leg structure I5. These straps bridge the portion l9, the strap 23 being secured by bolts 25 to the front side portions of the portions l9, while the strap 24 is secured to the rear side portions of the portions IQ of the leg structure I5.

As can be seen in Figure 4 and also in Figure 3, the portions of the straps inwardly of the ends thereof are twisted so as to be on parallel planes but in all said relation to each other and a pair of spring bars 26, 21 have their rear ends disposed between the bars 23, 24 and disposed so that they will be under the upper bar 23 and upon the lower bar 24, in which positions these spring strips 26, 21 are secured by rivets, bolts or the like at 28.

A load supporting wheel 29 has an axle structure 30, the end portions of which are disposed into bearings 3| which in turn, are secured to the forward ends of the springs 26, 21. The springs are sufiiciently long so as to position the wheel 29 directly under the deep portion of the wheelbarrow pan 1, so that when the wheelbarrow is lifted and moved the load will be almost precisely balanced over the wheel 29, and thus very little load will be on the handle ends 13 of the tubes 5.

Thus in using the wheelbarrow, it can be plainly seen that with the load almost precisely belanced'over the wheel 29, the wheelbarrow will be easier to move and there will be less load on the handle end l3, while at the same time the springs 26, 21 will absorb any shock imparted to the load supporting wheel 29 as the wheelbarrow is pushed over uneven ground.

When the wheelbarrow has reached the dumping site, it is only necessary to tilt the wheelbarrow forwardly so that the load begins to slide out of the pan 1 as the roll I l rests upon the ground, supporting the entire assembly and as the load slides out of the wheelbarrow pan I it will have a tendency to force the wheelbarrow by the rolling action of the roll ll, thus doing away with the manual exertion now necessary in stepping wheelbarrow backward as the load is being dumped from the pan.

While the foregoing description sets forth the invention in specific terms, it is to be understood that numerous changes in the shape, size and materials may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed hereinafter.

Having described the invention what is claimed as new is:

In a wheelbarrow including a load carrying pan and a carrier wheel, said carrier wheel being mounted under the pan at approximately the center of gravity of the pan when loaded to the brim, a frame structure under the pan and secured thereto, a leg structure secured to said pan and comprising two laterally spaced depending members secured to the frame structure and means secured to the leg structure and carrying said wheel, said means consisting of a pair of spring members projecting forwardly from said leg structure and between which the wheel is mounted, and attaching means securing said 2 spring members to the leg structure, said attaching members consisting of a pair of vertically spaced bars bridging the depending members of said leg structure and having medial portions twisted to parallel planes with the spring members interposed between said twisted portions and being secured thereto.

JAMES DWYER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 239,330 Hunt Mar. 29, 1881 556,616 Carmichael Mar. 17, 1896 597,337 Stoufier Jan. 11, 1898 1,095,145 Elterich Apr. 28, 1914 1,377,946 Van Etten May 10, 1921 1,951,477 Gannett Mar. 20, 1934 2,176,780 Wood Oct. 17, 1939 2,242,171 Boyle May 13, 1941 2,393,807 Pinion et al Jan. 29, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 783,513 France Apr. 8, 1935 786,150 France June 3, 1935 886,929 France July 19, 1943 

